The instant invention relates to devices for attracting and destroying insect pests and more particularly to a device which utilizes gases such as carbon dioxide or octenol and/or insect pheromones, in combination with fluorescent lights to attract a variety of insects, including biting flies and mosquitoes.
Devices for attracting and destroying insects are well known in the art. For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 2,106,528 to Jones, et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,187,458 to Densmore; U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,577 to Soulos: U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,351 to Iannini; U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,069 to DeYoreo: and U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,529 to Hedstrom are representative of the available prior art. The patent to Densmore discloses a device which employs a light for attracting insects and a pesticide saturated mesh surrounding the light for killing the insects attempting to reach the light source. The remaining patents to Jones, Soulos, Iannini, DeYoreo and Hedstrom disclose various devices which employ some kind of illuminating means and/or odor means for attracting insects, and an electrified screen grid for electrocuting insects attempting to reach the light or pheromone. Although these electric "bug zapping" devices are popular with consumers, each has certain shortcomings. For example, the devices employing an ultraviolet light source are effective for attracting and destroying moths but are ineffective for attracting biting insects, such as mosquitoes and flies, that prey on humans. The prior art devices which utilize pheromones as the odor source to attract specific types of insects are expensive because the pheromone source is continuously active and therefore must continually be replaced.
It has been found that biting insects locate their prey through heat (thermal radiation transmitted by infrared light) and have eyes which are sensitive to the wavelength of light emitted by carbon dioxide or octenol. In this regard, several prior art devices have suggested the use of open flames to produce heat in combination with carbon dioxide. One such device relies on the biting insect to fly directly into the open flame to be destroyed. Another device employs an electrified grid surrounding the open flame. Because of the open flame, these devices have been found to be extremely dangerous and hence have not been commercially successful.